Family Fun

Would you expect to find an ice rink in the midst of the bustling downtown area of a major American city? If your answer is “of course not,” then you haven’t been to Pittsburgh. Each winter, downtown Pittsburgh transforms into a winter wonderland. During the holiday season, between November and February, The Rink at PPG Place is constructed in the PPG Place Plaza. The 104-by-104-foot rink is flanked by six towering, glass-storied office buildings whose spires are distinctly recognizable in any skyline v...

We all have fond childhood memories of riding the merry-go-round, going up and down atop a majestic horse while cheerful music played in the background. This fall, the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum is your chance to go behind the scenes to discover the history of this treasured attraction and see how it was painstakingly created. In 1883, Allan Herschell completed his first carousel, a plain device whose horses featured minimal decoration, real horsehair tails and glass eyes. For later models...

Tecumseh is a lovely town any time you visit, but visit during the autumn, and there’s something new you’ll definitely want to catch: Art Trail Tecumseh an outdoor art and sculpture exhibit set among the parks and gardens in the downtown area. Stroll, observe and admire the art at your own pace, reveling in the sense of leisure. And if you like something you see, many of the pieces that are part of the exhibit are available for purchase as well. The pieces range from the whimsical “XYZ” by Todd Kime to ...

Every night during the holiday season, hundreds of people drive through the countryside east of Dayton to reach the tiny village of Clifton, Ohio. After parking their cars, they brave the winter chill and walk over the Little Miami River on a covered bridge wrapped in twinkling lights. The bridge’s cheerful glow merely provides a prelude to the one-of-a-kind spectacle awaiting visitors when they step off the bridge and are immersed in a wonderland of lights that brilliantly enhances the splendid natural...

A 45-minute drive from downtown Chicago, west suburban Wheaton, Illinois, offers an enticing array of family attractions for children and adults of all ages. Cosley Zoo: Small in size, mighty in scope, this miniature zoo is the habitat of 150 domestic farm animals and Illinois native wildlife. More than 60 species in all — from wooly llamas and Shetland ponies to exotic poison dart frogs and other pint-size amphibians — are tucked away inside this tiny suburban enclave. Admission is free for kids....

Detroit is a city brimming with rhythm. Whether it’s hosting the country’s largest techno music festival or giving the world The White Stripes, you can’t take the song from the city. However, the best proof of Detroit’s impact on modern American music is Motown Records. At Motown Museum Hitsville U.S.A. the family can get down with a piece of music history. Stand in Studio A where the Supremes first recorded “Stop! In the Name of Love.” See the original equipment that recorded The Temptations “My ...

Referred to as the “Niagara of the South,” Cumberland Falls is one of the most beautiful locations in the South and one of the only places in the world where a “moonbow” can be viewed at certain times of the year when the moon is full. A moonbow, a rainbow caused by the moon, is produced by light reflecting off the moon and refracting off moisture in the air. It’s an amazing sight. In 1927, Kentucky native T. Coleman DuPont bought the falls and the surrounding land and gave it to the commonwealth of Ken...

Families will find that a trip back in time can be both fun and delicious thanks to Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum. “We make real ice cream sodas, the kind you would find at a local drugstore fountain from the beginning of the 19th century into the ’50s,” says manager Dee Jones. “We have the original soda-fountain machines to mix the syrup and ice cream, blend and carbonate, then add more ice cream on top and carbonate again. Chocolate sodas are the favorite.” The authentic sodas in the Ice Cream...